Arquia San Sebastián

The proposal for the new Arquia bank branch in San Sebastián follows a few strategies to get the most of a very small premises, showing an image away from the more common opulent or commercial, which usually sets an uncomfortable distance with the clients. The program is organized in the easiest way, making every single space the more comprehensible for the worker and the visitor.

Given the depth of the space and the necessity to use the basement to locate some programme, there is a strong option to get natural light into the deepest areas, so a double space is introduced close to the façade and the entrance. Global accessibility is improved, not only to physical disabled, but also in a sensorial manner, making the whole space comprehensible from the entrance. Finally, there is a radical option towards domesticity, based on the use of natural materials with strong tactile perception such as wood.